IP 63 Agenda Item: ATCM 7, ATCM 10, ATCM 12, CEP 3, CEP 6b Presented by: ASOC Original: English Beyond Direct Impacts of Multi-Year Maintained Ice Routes Case Study: McMurdo-South Pole Surface Re-Supply Traverse 1 IP 63 Beyond Direct Impacts of Multi-Year Maintained Ice Routes Case Study: McMurdo-South Pole Surface Re-Supply Traverse Information Paper Submitted by ASOC to the XXIX ATCM (CEP Agenda Items 3 and 6, ATCM Agenda Items 7, 10 and 12) I. Introduction A surface re-supply traverse between McMurdo and South Pole stations is expected to become operational in two to three years, following a successful ‘proof of concept’ exercise during 2004-05 and 2005-06. It is likely to become one of the longest, most frequently used multi-year ice traverses in Antarctica, along with the routes between Cap Prudhomme and Dome C, and between Mirny and Vostok stations. The environmental impact of the route has been considered as minor in an earlier Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation (CEE) (NSF, 2004), due to the localized nature of impacts and the remote location of the route. The purpose of this paper is to highlight issues beyond the direct environmental impacts of multi-year maintained ice routes. In ASOC’s view, these issues have received insufficient attention thus far in the environmental impact assessment process. While this paper focuses on the McMurdo-South Pole ice route, the issues discussed are relevant to other multi-year maintained ice routes. First, we discuss briefly the wilderness protection requirements under the Protocol of Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the Protocol). Subsequently we discuss three key issues beyond the consideration of direct environmental impacts: • Opening up of the Antarctic wilderness: Increased access provided by a multi-year maintained ice route may have far-reaching consequences on the fragmentation and diminution of the Antarctic wilderness already encroached upon by a range of other activities. This includes the possibility of commercial tourism operations utilizing the traverse to further penetrate the interior of the continent. • Actual environmental balance: The question of whether surface re-supply traverses will truly result in resource (fuel) savings and consequent environmental benefits, given the high degree of interest in expanding scientific operations using the ice route and the air resources displaced by the route that will be used elsewhere in the Antarctic. • Actual cost of supporting remote stations: The need to balance increasing cumulative impacts on the Antarctic wilderness with the continued development such as the expansion of existing remote stations or the construction of new ones. II. Summary of the South Pole Road Proposal In 2005, the U.S. Antarctic Program successfully completed a proof of concept exercise for an ice supply route between McMurdo and South Pole stations. It is now expected that the route will be established as an annual surface traverse re-supply route between the two stations. If the future operations follow the description set out by the NSF (2004), the McMurdo – South Pole ice route is likely to become one of the longest and most frequently used multi-year ice traverses in Antarctica (Table 1, Appendix 1). Its operation is expected to result in the transportation of the largest amounts of cargo and the highest fuel consumption among surface re-supply routes in Antarctica. According to a review conducted by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF, 2004), there have been over 60 scientific and 13 re-supply surface traverses in Antarctica since the 1950’s. Among the multi-year re- supply traverses, the routes between Cap Prudhomme and Dome C, and between Mirny and Vostok hold the record of covering the greatest distances while having been used for the longest duration (Table 1, Appendix 1). A detailed assessment of direct environmental impacts of the surface traverse capabilities of the U.S. Antarctic Program, including the McMurdo – South Pole route, has been presented in the form of a Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation (CEE) in 2004 (NSF, 2004). It concluded that most of the direct 3 IP 63 environmental impacts arising from the ice route and its operation are low. Appendix 2 contains a list of direct impacts and a brief discussion of those impacts in the light of recent publications. III. Protecting Wilderness Values The protection of wilderness values is one of the basic mandates of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the Protocol) – notably Art. (3)(1). Different operators have described the concept of wilderness at different times and places, and while there is no agreed definition of “wilderness” or ‘wilderness values’ in the Antarctic context, there appears to be a broad understanding of what it is meant.1 For instance, Appendix I of the Guidelines for Implementation of the Framework for Protected Areas Set Forth in Article 3, Annex V of the Environmental Protocol contains the following description that is adapted from Porteous (1996) with reference to the philosopher Kant: does the area contain characteristics e.g., remoteness, few or no people, an absence of human-made objects, traces, sounds and smells, untravelled or infrequently visited terrain that are particularly unique or representative components of the Antarctic environment? Wilderness values have also been referred to as: • “…derived from the isolation and relative low level of human impact” (ATCPs 2002); • “…attributes, which are generally associated with land areas that are unmodified, wild, uninhabited, remote from human settlement” (NSF, 2004), • associated with “…pristine environment[s] largely undisturbed and uncontaminated by humans” (ATCPs, 2004) or which • “..show little sign of past or current human presence” (Australia, Russia and China, 2005). Overall, that remoteness and a relative absence of both people and indications of past and present human presence or activity are key attributes of wilderness. There is also a broad understanding – notably in Art. 3 of the Protocol, and also in various management plans – that the Antarctic wilderness deserves protection, andactions that compromise or jeopardize wilderness values are not desirable. IV. Beyond Direct Impacts Beyond direct impacts there are consequences resulting from opening up of the Antarctic wilderness, uncertainty about resource savings, and the cost of supporting remote stations. These issues will be discussed briefly below. A. Opening up of the Antarctic wilderness Antarctica is the largest contiguous piece of wilderness on earth. Human activities, such as research stations and traverse routes, occupy a negligible percentage of the area of Antarctica. However, part of the value and uniqueness of the Antarctic wilderness lies in its immensity, integrity and abundance. If the Antarctic wilderness is fragmented or reduced, its wilderness values will be greatly diminished. One serious concern for the impact of multi-year maintained ice routes on the Antarctic wilderness is the increased access that they provide into pristine areas. Throughout the world, road access into wilderness areas has often been a precursor to development, frequently accompanied by cumulative environmental degradation and resulting loss of wilderness values. Examples can be found in the Amazonian forest (Laurence et al., 2005) as well as in the Alaskan Arctic (National Resource Council, 2003). It may be argued that the situation would be different in Antarctica, given the special mandate for scientific research and the provisions set out under the Antarctic Treaty and its Environmental Protocol. Thus, any development will primarily take place for scientific reasons. However, the scientific purpose of development 1 Antarctic Treaty instruments refer mostly to wilderness “value/s”, although there are also references to wilderness “quality/ies” and “significance” and – in a more physical sense – wilderness “area” or “features” of which there may be an “outstanding example”. 4 IP 63 is no guarantee against the degradation of wilderness values. Current development proposals are characterized by the near simultaneous expansion of a range of activities – including scientific activities, support logistics, and tourism – over hitherto near-pristine or pristine areas (ASOC, 2005a,b). Direct air links between Antarctica and the rest of the world are likely to increase access to the continent (ASOC, 2005a). The possibilities of using the McMurdo – South Pole route to support new scientific traverses and field camps in hitherto unexplored regions of the Antarctic have frequently been considered (NSF, 2004; McMurdo Area Users Committee, 2001). In addition, Antarctica is also facing increasing commercial pressures both on land and at sea. The number of tourists visiting Antarctica has been increasing steadily for over a decade. While most tourists currently arrive to Antarctica by ship, there is also an ongoing transition towards a greater component of land-based support for tourism operations through fly-sail operations, and visitor accommodation ashore. Development and commercial pressures on Antarctica may lead to a range of consequences including: • Increased access to more remote areas of the Antarctic wilderness; • Establishment of infrastructure deeper into the Antarctic continent; • Transit of more people in previously inaccessible wilderness areas; and • Impacts associated with waste disposal, accidental spills and air emissions arising from increased human presence in hitherto pristine